When Falling Someone Must Reach
by websky
Summary: Natsume gets cursed and has to be hospitalized, it's up to Tanuma to use his limited sight of youkai to find help, and Taki to search for Natori and gain his aid— in order to stop the curse before it's too late. All the while the Fujiwara's worry for Natsume's life.


_**Natsume Yuujinchou**_

_Natsume gets cursed by a youkai and is hospitalized. It's then up to Tanuma to use his limited sight to find help, and Taki to search out for Natori and gain his help— in order to stop the curse before it's too late. All the while the Fujiwara's worry for Natsume's life. _

_(This work will be a part of a four part series, with varying lengths and stories that all connect but can be read separately) _

* * *

**Part 1: **

**When Falling Someone Must Reach**

The cat was what first to tip Touko off, as she heard him that afternoon.

She'd been preparing lunch—it was a Sunday after all, and Shigeru was set to get back early from work, while Touko still had some laundry to finish. Natsume had plans with friends for that night, something about watching the stars from somewhere special, Touko wasn't sure exactly, but she was happy. Natsume was finally settled and seemed to have more friends than he knew what to do with. She'd been worried at first, but he had found his place at school.

Touko smiled softly, heating up the stove a bit more. Nyankichi-kun startled her, by franticly jumping up at her leg. It was trying to pull her away.

"Food will be coming soon, don't worry," she said ideally. The cat didn't let up though, biting into her apron and pulling her. Touko sighed and turned off the stove. "Do you want me to come with you Nyankichi?" The cat was frantic clawing at her leg now; it wasn't just food he wanted. "What's the matter?" she asked.

The cat jumped toward the stairs and Touko followed out of the kitchen and up toward Natsume's room. A bit of dread entered her stomach. It couldn't be?

"Takashi-kun?" Touko said, wondering as the cat paused but still seemed frantic at her slow pace. Touko knocked on Natsume's door, sliding it opened she saw what the commotion was about.

Natsume lay on the floor, heaving and hyperventilating.

"Takashi!" Touko rammed onto her knees, holding his head. He was barely responsive; it seemed he wasn't able to catch his breath. His hands were heaving and reaching for his chest like something was there that he couldn't get off.

She needed to call an ambulance, something was wrong with him.

**X**

Shigeru arrived straight from work; Touko was in tears outside Takashi's hospital room. "I?" she was clutching Nyangoro to her chest. Shigeru took a seat beside her; the uneasy nature to her voice on the phone had been enough.

"It'll be alright," he said.

They sat in silence for a while. Her only mention was of not being allowed to see him until the doctor gave the verdict. He came out shortly after Touko was receding from her shock. He explained to the two of them that Takashi's lungs were failing, and they weren't sure exactly why. But they were working hard to try and figure it out, and until then they'd keep him on oxygen. The doctor explained he wouldn't be responsive.

Shigeru held his breath when he heard the worst part of the news. "At the moment his life is quite honestly is in danger, until we can route out a problem, I just want to warn you on the possibility. We can keep him on oxygen, but if his lungs completely fail. . ." the doctor trailed off. Touko broke into tears. Shigeru quietly held her in his arms; he was trying his best to keep from crying as well.

"We'll do everything we can, but at the moment, to be safe, we're not letting anyone see him, I'm sorry."

Shigeru quietly thanked the doctor and nodded. What else could he do?

Why? How did this even happen Shigeru wondered. He knew Takashi was prone to sickness, and had a fair bit of anemia but this, this was something else. Could the two of them have prevented this? Was this something that'd he'd been carrying for a while. Shigeru hadn't noticed Takashi having trouble breathing, but this, this was troubling.

Takashi, when they'd decided to take him under his roof, he thought he'd been helping him, but now this happened.

The two of them sat for hours at the end of the hall, Takashi's room hindered by the door to the ICU. The room where there adopted son was only steps away from.

"Where did we go wrong? I should have noticed or something," Touko mumbled. She'd finally stopped crying.

Shigeru squeezed her tighter. "It's not your fault. . . Takashi, he'll be alright." Shigeru didn't know that, but he had to say something, had to believe he'd be okay.

A couple hours later the doctor came back and asked for some medical records on Takashi. There was no news; they weren't sure what was causing the trouble in his lungs. They were contemplating surgery, but there were worried it might damage the lungs to go in when they weren't sure what was wrong.

Shigeru explained how they didn't have much in the way of medical records, but he'd get what they had for him. Shigeru also thought it was probably best he go back to the house and grab a change of clothes for both him and Touko, neither of them would be leaving tonight.

"I'll be back, we'll just keep praying till then." Shigeru squeezed Touko's hand. He hadn't avoided tears this night either.

Touko let his hand drift off. "He's our everything now," she said, her eyes lingering on the door. "I need him Shigeru."

Shigeru nodded, his eyes lingering to the door blocking their path to Takashi. He was attempted to just take Touko there, sit in his room and avoid the doctor's orders. But that wasn't what was best. Shigeru left, Touko still staring toward the door. He only noticed as he was leaving the cat was nowhere in sight.

**X**

Nyanko-sensei, Madara, knew what had caused Natsume's collapse. A curse, and a strong one that had been building up—a long amount of years in human standards. It hadn't been toward Natsume in particular, and Madara suspected his grandmother was the real one that the curse had been meant for. Unfortunately Natsume had to be the recipient.

And this curse was strong, stronger than the likes Madara had ever seen. It was a combined curse of youkai and man.

He should have been faster, but the youkai had taken hold of Natsume's insides. This hadn't been done by just a youkai, broken— the unsealed pot which could only be undone by human hands, it was all too coincidental.

Madara snuck out of Touko's grasp early on, she was too distraught to really notice. Her hands held to her face as Shigeru held her.

Madara hadn't been sure what the right move was as soon as he realized he could vanquish the spirit. Humans needed to breathe, and Natsume, he hadn't been breathing properly. Madara had known soon the youkai that had cursed had landed himself inside Natsume, and would be aiming to suck his life force the fastest way. Luckily he hadn't reached the heart.

Madara snuck the door into Natsume's hospital room open; a nurse was just hooking up something into his arm, a clear liquid in a bag. Madara wasn't sure what it was called. The nurse left and Nyanko made his way toward him; puckering himself atop the hospital bed. Natsume was hooked up to some kind of breathing tube. He was completely still now, his eyes closed. But alive.

He was glad such weak humans had invented stuff like this that could keep him breathing. But for how long would this last? Madara could sense the youkai inside Natsume, and he knew if it moved even slightly it could find its way to Natsume's heart and kill him.

When it moved though, that would be the chance Madara would have to weed it out without hurting Natsume. It was a dangerous and long waiting game. And in the end the youkai might win if it just sucked Natsume's life force and stayed where it was.

Madara had to disperse it before then, but in order to do that he was going to need help. He couldn't go far; no he had to stay close to Natsume, which meant not leaving the building. However he was limited and he couldn't exactly summon Hinoe himself.

Madara changed to his youkai form. He cradled himself around Natsume's bed. "What am I going to do with you?" Madara said, his tail drifting softly onto Natsume's face. He was unresponsive though, and by looks of whatever the nurse had put in the bag, Natsume was being forced to sleep. That was probably for the best, if he was awake he'd be in pain, and the youkai would be able to suck his life force more easily.

Madara had limited options, but for the next few hours he'd watch, and wait and see if this harmful youkai with a curse made a move. It was his only choice for now, to help Natsume out.

**X**

Kitamoto, Nishimura, Tanuma waited at the meeting spot for a good hour before finally giving up on Natsume showing up.

"It's probably his anemia or something," Nishimura said as they made their way to the star-gazing field. The sun was just beginning to set a crimson taking over the horizon.

Tanuma frowned. He knew it could be something more.

"I'll go check," Tanuma offered, breaking off from the group. He heard there protest behind, but he'd already started running. It was a fallacy to really believe that Natsume would even be home at this time, if it was a youkai problem he was probably in the woods or something chasing it off, or trying to find some sort of glass bead for a small fox spirit, it could be anything.

But something in Tanuma's gut was telling him it was something more serious.

He arrived at the Fujiwara residence just as the last of the sun was setting, stars dotting the sky. Fujiwara-san was just coming out of the entrance way when he got there. Tanuma caught his breath, there was a look behind the older man's glasses, something a bit terrifying, they looked red from crying, and shell-shocked.

He locked the door, and Tanuma stood still and straight. "Fujiwara-san," Tanuma said, still by the entrance gate. The older man looked up, and offered a soft smile, there was no force or gaudiness to it though, it seemed sad.

He was holding two small bags. In one of them Tanuma noticed Natsume's pyjamas."Tanuma-kun," he said, his voice sounded older. "Sorry you're probably looking for Natsume."

Tanuma was a bit scared to hear the answer, a knot forming in his stomach. Fujiwara-san looked pale, and much too tired. He didn't even have to ask, as Shigeru provided the information. "Sorry Tanuma, he collapsed today, we had to take him to the hospital. . . he's having trouble breathing."

Tanuma had to keep himself from throwing up from shock. Trouble Breathing? That wasn't normal. Was it a youkai?

"Will. . .will he be okay?"

Shigeru didn't answer, and Tanuma now really felt sick.

"I need to head back." Shigeru walked past the younger boy. Tanuma was so in shock he couldn't move his feet.

Was it really a youkai? It had to be? But what could doctors do for that? And where was Ponta?

"Let me come with you!" Tanuma shouted after the Fujiwara. He was still walking. "Please."

Shigeru paused, slightly losing the hold on the bag he was carrying. "He's not allowed visitors, Touko and I can't even see him."

Tanuma gripped his fists. "Please." His voice was desperate.

There was reluctance, but Shigeru finally nodded.

When the two arrived at the hospital, Shigeru led them to a bench where Touko had fallen asleep along the wall. A nurse had draped a blanket over her, saying usually family was asked to go home, but she'd allow them to stay for the night. Tanuma felt that was a bad sign.

"Sorry Tanuma, I know you wanted to come, but I think it's best you come back tomorrow. Maybe by then his condition will be stable."

Tanuma Kaname nodded slowly, the beeping of machines, and calls of doctors and nurses getting to him.

"His cat," Tanuma finally said. "Is he here?"

Shigeru, as if remembering the animal looked around the bench where Touko had fallen asleep.

"I don't see him; gosh he's so attached to Natsume he probably went looking for him. He could be anywhere." Shigeru looked at Touko, asleep, tears staining her eyes. She mumbled Takashi's name.

"I'll look for him before I leave, take him for the night." Without allowing Shigeru to respond, Tanuma made a break down the hallway, searching the area. He knew he couldn't do anything for Natsume, but at the very least he could try, he knew his secret, and he could be Natsume's only shot.

Tanuma walked around a few floors, his mind wandering. This sounded worse than it was, what was he supposed to do? If it was a youkai, how could he help him? He might be the only one who could help him.

_"Kid!"_ A voice spoke into his head. Tanuma turned. The voice came from a room he just passed. He turned back, and slid the door open. A puff of smoke dissipated, and Ponta landed onto of a sleeping boy.

"Natsume," Tanuma said, entering the room. A beep sounded from a monitor, and his stomach dropped. He looked much worse than Tanuma had pictured.

"Ponta. . . is this a youkai?"

The cat nodded slowly sitting up, but still staying close to Natsume. Tanuma always saw the cat as a very go lucky kitty— but right now he seemed serious. "It's a curse, a small youkai who's been sealed and cursing in a pot the last fifty years." He looked down at Natsume. An oxygen mask covered his face, and his usual pale was ashen. "I can't leave, in case it moves for the heart, that'll be it's only moment of weakness." Ponta touched Natsume's stomach. "But I think that'll be too late. I need help removing it soon."

Tanuma squeezed his fists. "What can I do? Let me help!"

This was serious, Natsume, the kind-hearted Natsume was being cursed by something like this.

"I'll need yours and that girl Taki's help."

"Taki?" Ponta nodded, his head glancing back to Natsume every so often. Tanuma did the same. He wasn't breathing properly, a machine was keeping up with his heart beat, and he needed oxygen pumped into him. Tanuma himself grew pale.

"In the morning, I need you to go into the mountains and look for a youkai by name of Hinoe."

Tanuma dropped his hands. "But I. . ." his power was barely existent. He could see blurs at times, but he couldn't search for a youkai.

"Have Taki draw one of those circles for you. Then send her to this address." Ponta transformed into the uniform school girl. With human features Tanuma really saw the worry on Ponta's face. She grabbed a pen from a table and wrote something down on a napkin. "It's Natori's if you remember him."

"The exorcist." Tanuma looked at Natsume again. Of course, he might be able to help. "I can't wait till morning, I should go now, and search and—"

"Tanuma," Ponta's voice, transformed and looking like a girl, it was so different, so familiar of Natsume though. "The mountain is not a place to go searching for youkai at nightfall." The female form patted a hand on Natsume's cheek. "He'll be okay for a till tomorrow evening, but we need to be cautious, will find a way to save him."

Tanuma frowned. "But my spiritual power. . ."

"You have enough, and we don't have much of a choice. I have to stay here and keep watch. Natori may have a solution if we can't find Hinoe, but either way," the form Ponta had taken, Reiko, pulled her hand away. "We'll save him."

**X**

Taki arrived at school at her usual hour, just a bit early, but with a good enough sleep in for the morning. She yawned, she was tired, for some reason she hadn't really slept the night before, a bad dream maybe, either way something had been tugging at her mind. She yawned again, spotting Tanuma, Kitamoto and Nishimura talking by the window in their school hallway.

"Where were you yesterday," Nishimura said shaking his head. "You totally ditched us after you went to look for Natsume, at least come back and tell us what happened."

Tanuma rubbed his head. "Sorry, but I. . ." he looked distance Taki realized. And when Natsume was brought up that could indicate a bad sign.

Kaname made eye contact with her and Taki nodded her head walking over, Kitamoto and Nishimura let out sighs. "Sheesh, you could have at least come back, we went to Natsume's house to look for you two, but no one was home." Kitamoto let out another sigh, but Tanuma wasn't matching their enthusiasm, he almost looked sick.

"Listen, guys Natsume he. . .he's in the hospital right now."

Taki stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide.

Kitamoto and Nishimura likewise lost their spunk. "What did you just say?" Taki muttered, joining their group.

Tanuma shook his head. "He collapsed, and right now he's not allowed any visitors, sorry, I. . .don't know much, but we were asked to not go and see him. The Fujiwara's can't even see him yet."

"That's?" Kitamoto, seemed to have lost his voice.

"If even they can't see him, what does that mean. . ."Nishimura grabbed hold of Tanuma's arm. "Is it serious? What do you mean collapse? Natsume always collapses, just last week we had to wait with him after he fainted on our way home, that's normal for him."

Taki put a hand on Nishimura's shoulder to get him to realize his force.

"Sorry," he muttered, pulling back after a second.

Tanuma shook his head. "Sorry guys, I ah, I'm actually not feeling that great. . .Taki, can you walk me to the nurses office."

Taki nodded, Tanuma pushing past the two boys and walking beside her. "Keep your school bag," he said as they walked, "we need to leave, right now."

And that's when Taki knew what they were dealing with was not a human condition, but a youkai problem.

The two of them sat outside as Tanuma explained the situation to her. He handed her a paper at the end. "This is the address for Natori Shuuichi."

Taki frowned. "The actor?" she muttered. She'd just seen his latest movie.

"He's also an exorcist, I met him once, he was. . .strange, but kind." Tanuma squeezed his hands together. "Ponta told me to get you to go find Natori, and also said to have you draw a youkai circle for me, so I could search for a youkai by name of Hinoe."

Taki frowned remembering the memories associated with that circle. She thought she'd never draw it again. However, she'd fallen back on that. She had one right in her school bag. Somehow with Natsume nearby, she wanted the circle close, just in case. She handed it over to Tanuma. "We'll help him," Taki said.

Tanuma nodded, but there was a lot less hope in his eyes. No wonder, searching for something he could barely even see, all the while Natsume's life was hanging in the balance. They would save him though.

"I'll leave right now, and Tanuma. . .you can do it, I know you can."

Taki hurried off, leaving school just as the first bell was ringing. Tanuma slowly followed after she noticed. A look of concern knotting his face.

**X**

Tanuma wandered up into the mountains, his voice lost in his throat. "Hinoe!" He shouted, it was probably toward nothing, but maybe it was in fact at every youkai in proximity. There could be dozens watching him, or just the air and sky. He had to trust though, that things would work out. The youkai here, they respected Natsume. Well some of them.

"Natsume is in trouble, we need your help!" he placed the circle on the ground. The wind blew, but nothing happened. "Please!" he shouted, the wind blowing again. "I need someone's help, anyone, to find Hinoe."

A figure appeared on the paper, a kappa with trimmed back hair. He held a fish.

"Natsume-sama, is hurt human?" he asked.

Tanuma frowned, he wasn't sure which youkai he could trust, but at the very least he'd ask this one for help. "Please, can you find Hinoe, I need her help."

"I hate child of men," a woman spoke, it was strangely beautiful. The kappa stepped away from the circle, and Tanuma searched for the figure.

"Please, I'm sorry you hate us, but I need your help to find Hinoe— I. . .I. . . can't see you if you don't step into the youkai circle," he said voice falling slightly.

He turned, a blurring figure standing behind him. A trail of smoke seemingly coming from nowhere the piece that stood out to him. Tanuma rubbed his eyes. The figure a woman wearing a lilac kimono, and purple lipstick staining her lips.

"Please, a powerful youkai like me can appear to humans whenever I please." She puffed into her pipe. "But only those with spiritual power can hear me." She stared him down, her eyes blue, and strangely malicious. "I hate you child of men. Men in particular." She looked Tanuma up and down.

Tanuma seemed to have lost his voice, his eyes focusing as the figure began to blur. "Please wait," he shouted. "Natsume, he's in danger, he's been cursed, and Ponta can't even leave him it's so bad."

"Ponta?"

"The cat Nyanko! Please help him!"

Hinoe blew a buff of smoke again. Her figure clearing. "Show me human, where Natsume is."

Arriving off the train at the station, Taki began walking the unfamiliar streets, address in her hand. What was she even doing? Going to meet some actor, who was actually an exorcist, was this guy even for real? And right when Natsume's life could be in danger. Taki held a hand to her chest, clinging it there gently.

The look in Tanuma's eye told her everything, this time Natsume was in real trouble.

**X**

Taki stepped in front of a condo building, typing in the number to call Natori. The door buzzed, but nothing came. She tried again. "Please," she mumbled, "answer."

Natori awoke from his nap, to a silent buzz of the door to his condo. He'd been filming till late last night, and on top of that exorcized something in the park on his way home he'd been hired to take out a few weeks ago.

"Hiiragi," Natori said to the kindred spirit. She was gone and back in a flash.

"It's a girl, young like Natsume." Natroi frowned, turning over on his couch; he hadn't even made it to the bed last night. He knew it was just a fan-girl, how he found his address though was concerning, that was rare, might be a real stalker this time.

The door buzzer continued to ring, why hadn't she given up already. Hiiragi's words struck him though, young like Natsume, what an odd phrasing. It was best to send the girl off with an autograph and smile, maybe then he could finally go back to sleep.

He pressed the button, "Sorry, this is a bit of a bad time, but—"

"Natsume needs help!" the girl cut him off, her voice catching.

Natori frowned, the words catching him off guard.

"Please, he could die, we need your help, and I. . ." Natori grabbed his coat jacket, and a few shikigami stuffed in as he grabbed his key and headed downstairs. What awaited him at the bottom was a young girl wearing Natsume's same uniform. She looked close to tears.

"Explain the situation to me," he said his familiars all appearing beside him.

**X**

Madara continued to watch over the sleeping Natsume. Despite everything he did seem peaceful. His sleeps were always to restless, but this coma induced haze wasn't sleep, Madara wasn't fooled.

**X**

A commotion was what drew his attention outside.

When Touko sat outside Natsume's room, nothing but worry plastered on her face it must have shown. Shigeru tried to keep her distracted, but it was hard. The nurse let them in to see Natsume briefly, and for a split second Touko thought she saw Natsume's cat there, but it must have been her imagination, Shigeru explaining Tanuma had taken it to his house for a few days so they didn't have to worry.

And now at the twenty four hour mark, the doctors had learned almost nothing. They weren't sure how to fix him, and his heartbeat was growing more erratic, his lungs only working because of the machines they had pumping and feeding him oxygen. The doctors had practically admitted there was almost nothing they could do. He wasn't stabilizing.

Takashi-kun, might just die, and it could be as soon as tonight.

Touko had already cried so much, but how could she take this news, he was like her son, no was her son, and he was dying, and they could do nothing.

Tanuma showed up, standing outside, he had a strange look to his eye. "Tanuma." Shigeru said, his voice mumbled.

"Let me see him, I. . .my dad's a priest, and I want. . .if I can at least pray." There almost a lie lingering in his voice, but at this point Touko wouldn't turn down anything. She'd do anything to save Takashi, and even she had been praying all afternoon.

Touko nodded, and Shigeru opened the door to Takashi's room, it was alright to see him now, but for short visits, in case something happened and the doctors needed in. Touko knew they weren't tell her the truth, they were allowing 'goodbyes'.

**X**

Hinoe appeared after, showing herself to Tanuma, her kimono shinning strangely in a new coming afternoon sun. She looked up, seeming to be staring at something on the roof. Tanuma squinted, no there was something in here. A large something? A cat maybe, gosh his head was hurting.

"I see," she said, looking down at Natsume. Was she speaking with the other youkai in the move? Wait was it Ponta?

Hinoe made a 'tsk' noise and walked toward Natsume, she went to remove his oxygen mask, but Tanuma stopped her.

"You can't, he won't survive without it."

Hinoe shook her head; she placed a hand on his stomach, the heart monitor beginning to beep more quickly.

"You're hurting him!" Tanuma cried. Hinoe stopped.

"It was moving out," she said. Tanuma looked up, could hear a growl above them.

The youkai woman sighed, turning her head. "I can remove the curse, but it seems it'll be at the cost of taking out the machines Natsume has attached to him." She crossed her arms. "Stupid men, so weak, and Natsume is the weakest of all." Though she said this, and even though she was a youkai, Tanuma could see the look in her eye, just like everyone else, she was scared, worried for Natsume.

Tanuma felt weak in the knees. If this youkai couldn't save him then, what was there?

"I'll ask around Madara," she said, and a puff of smoke revealed Natsume's cat.

"Hm, by the time you discover something it'll be too late."

Tanuma could barely process the words. Too late?

Natori arrived with Taki at the hospital; he'd mostly been filled in on everything from the girl as they went. Natori was surprised to learn there was another friend Natsume had shared his secret with, but the girl seemed nice enough. She barely had any spiritual power that Natori could sense; maybe hanging around Natsume was what unlocked her ability. Or something else. He'd pester Natsume about it later.

At the hospital, Natsume adoptive parents sat next to each other quietly, a solemn look on their faces. It seemed things had gotten bad for the young friend of his.

"Natori-san?" Touko said noticing him stand there. "And Taki."

He knew it, the concern, the worry. These people were terrified. Natsume wouldn't want that, not with the love he'd finally found. Based on Taki's explanation, Natori guessed the doctors had only given bad news, and of course, they didn't know what was really wrong with him. Natori though, he knew a curse without having to see the boy.

Natori got on one knee, he knew what needed to be said, and what he had to do. "Don't worry," he said to the two of them. "I'm here to save him."

His words probably didn't mean much, but Touko smiled sadly, her heart on her sleeve. "Thank you," she mumbled, Shigeru put an arm around her.

Taki bowed her head slightly and walked into the hospital room. Natsume's bodyguard sat diligently on top of him, Tanuma was to the side, watching a youkai fly out the window, Natori recognized it as one of Natsume's 'friends'.

It was foul the scent coating the room; Natori noticed it, the looming presence seeping from the boy's body. "How long?" Natori asked the cat.

"A day now, and it's growing stronger, I fear it'll reach for his heart soon." Natori eyed the monster, fixing his glasses. He could sense it under Natsume's skin. His lizard ran under his nose.

He'd need help, he couldn't seal this type of strong youkai, he'd have to completely vanquish it. And it was a powerful curse. Natsume was out of it, he wouldn't be any help to save himself, especially if the doctors had sedated him.

"Tanuma, Taki, I'll need your help." He didn't have a choice.

Natori sent his familiar to bring back what he needed, and Natsume's bodyguard seemed to understand what he was doing. It was there quickest and one of their only options.

Natori drew the dark circle on the floor, the beeping machine the only thing sounding out in the room. Taki seemed very adept, able to draw the circle as Natori prepared the shiki. When the circle was drawn completely, and all the steps were ready, Natori looked toward Madara. "You should go."

The cat transformed back to its true form. "I'm not leaving."

Natori frowned. He wouldn't tell him otherwise, no matter how dangerous. Natori sent his own familiars away, just to be safe. "Taki, Tanuma stand at the edge of the circle."

"Right," they both answered.

And then Natori started chanting. Light statically appeared above the group, and Natori heard the youkai scream. But Natori collapsed to one knee before the spell could even be complete. The beeping of the machines seemed to increase.

"Did it work?" Tanuma asked. Gazing around the room, as if something would have changed.

Natori frowned. These two kids, they barely had enough spiritual energy to sense youkai, Taki couldn't even see them, and he, he just wasn't strong enough on his own to vanquish such a curse.

"We can't do it, can we?" Tanuma said, he'd realized it. "We don't have enough power." The boy swore, punching at the wall.

"Tanuma," Taki said going to stand by his side. She was crying. Of course she would, Natori had failed.

It was over, Natori could sense that. Never again would he ever be able to call on or ask Natsume for help. Somehow this was his fault, he'd gotten Natsume caught up so many things, maybe this curse wouldn't have happened if they hadn't met.

"It's not over," the growling voice from above said. The bodyguard did not sound happy over it though.

The door to Natsume room opened, Natori expected a doctor to be responding to the commotion, but it was a familiar face, one covered with an eye-patch. "Seji?"

"Why hello Shuuichi." He closed the door behind him; it was almost like he'd been lurking there. "Seems you're in quite a rough spot."

With a Matoba here there would be no problem vanquishing the spirit now. A spell like this would be no problem to him.

"You did this!" Madara growled. His teeth looked more menacing now as he acted serious.

"No, I simply came to help when I heard the devastating news." Matoba turned to Tanuma and Taki. "It seems Natsume's friends don't hold as much power as him." He eyed Tanuma. "But you can still stand in so there's less chance it escapes. We're going to cast it out."

Tanuma frowned, but nodded. "Right," he said, going to find his place on the circle. Natume's bodyguard appeared in cat form again, huddling over to Taki. Taki caught the cat and held it.

"Sure you want to be in here?" Matoba asked, "there's a chance you could be blasted away."

The cat frowned; he seemed to be glaring at him.

Natori stared over at Natsume, the beeping was getting more frantic than he'd like. They were running low on time.

Matoba took a spot at the edge of the circle. "Oh before we begin." He pulled out a piece of paper from his kimono. "Kitty, I need your signature on Natsume's behalf."

"What?" Tanuma and Taki muttered.

Natori glared."Matoba are you serious?"

"Do you want us to save the young Natsume or not?"

Natori made a 'tsk' noise, Taki came over and grabbed the piece of paper. "It says Natsume has to train under him for forty days this summer."

Natori felt sick. Had Matoba sent the curse, or was he just taking advantage of the commotion.

"Nothing dirty, just a simple reward for my effort here." Matoba shrugged. "Now it seems were running out of time, kitty?"

Nyanko put his paw print on the form Taki held. "Now perform the exorcism."

**X**

Touko held Shigeru outside, a sign of worry on her face. She could hear the beeping of the machine, the commotion, all she did was hold Shigeru, she had to trust them.

At one point doctors tried to rush in, but the door was locked it seemed from the inside. It seemed quite a commotion. And then there was a flash of light, knocking the doctor at the door a few inches back.

The couple stood up, as the door finally unlocked itself.

It was quite a sight as the Fujiwara's rushed in. Natori was on the floor of what looked like an ink black circle, kneeling and out of breath. Tanuma was rightly passed out, and a stranger with an eye-path stood up on the farther side of the room. Touko looked toward the floor again, but the black ink was now gone.

Taki was squeezing Natsume's cat, who seemed to be asleep. Taki seemed a bit terrified, but then a large smile plastered over her face. Touko looked over to what she was seeing, her own eyes tearing up as she noticed her rightful smile and the reasoning why.

Sitting up in bed, was a very tired, but very much alive Takashi.

He coughed into his oxygen mask slowly trying to pull it from his face. He wiped his mouth and breathed normally before coughing again.

"Whatever is going on here, I want everyone out—everyone out," the doctor said. Natori helped Tanuma up, who was slowly waking up, and Taki brought Nyankichi-kun with her. Then the man with the eye-patch, she hadn't seen him before, but she believed but he looked familiar.

Takashi was noticing the crowd, but he seemed a little out of it, his eyes wandering and a doctor beginning to measure his vitals. A nurse started pushing Touko out of the room, "you can come back soon Fujiwara-san," a nurse said bringing the group outside the room.

Shigeru seemed just as confused about the situation as Touko. However also just as happy.

Takashi had woken up.

"Natori-san, what did you. . ." Shigeru stopped, "no, never mind, just. . .thank you."

Natori nodded, but he didn't seem that thrilled his eyes focusing on the man with the black hair and wearing the kimono. "Sorry to interrupt, but I don't believe we've had a pleasure of meeting." The man stuck out his hand. "I'm Matoba Seji, I'm. . .well a friend of Natsume's, my grandmother was quite good friends with his grandmother." Touko hesitantly shook the hand. Shigeru as well.

Natori didn't say anything, but Touko could tell by the look that he didn't like the man. She had yet to form an opinion. "I'll be seeing you again this summer," he said, wandering off to a few men in suits waiting for him down the end of the hall. Touko didn't have time to ask what that meant, her attention focusing on Tanuma, who seemed to have his head between his knees. "Tanuma? Touko asked, walking over. "Should we call a doctor?"

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy," he said. Taki had one hand on his shoulder, the other holding the sleeping cat. Touko picked him up, releasing the sleeping animal from Taki's arm.

"I'll come and visit Natsume tomorrow," Natori said, "but he should be fine now." He sounded sure of himself.

Natori started walking away, but he stood tall like someone else was walking with him. "Thank you!" Touko shouted down after him, bowing her head slightly. She wasn't sure what Natori had done, but somehow these people had saved her son.

A nurse pushed open the door. "You can speak with him now, just low voices, he's still a little weak."

Shigeru took Touko by the hand, the two of them walking into the hospital room.

"Touko-san, Shigeru-san," Takashi said on the other side, back in bed with only a nasal cannula delivering oxygen, his arm was still hooked to the IV. But there was no fear, he was okay. Touko and Shigeru both took him in an embrace.

**X**

Natsume wasn't sure what had happened. At first he'd been returning a name to a youkai, and then another one had showed up, Natsume had expected it to want the same thing, but instead it leaped from a cracked pot. And then, well something jumped inside of him, he wasn't sure what, but it kind of felt like being possessed—only worse than that. A curse.

He'd woken up in the hospital later, the first thing he saw he thought had to have been a dream. The Fujiwara's, Sensei, Taki and Tanuma, as well as Natori and Matoba all in the same room together. That shouldn't have even been possible.

Natsume petted Nyanko-sensei; he'd yet to wake up. He still wasn't sure on the full details, he'd only been allowed a short visit with Touko and Shigeru, then the doctor ran a bunch of test, and he'd fallen back asleep. He awoken to moonlight, and Hinoe sitting at his window sill.

"You almost died you know," she explained it to him casually. "You human men have such weak and fleeting lives. Just like Reiko, you could've left this world."

Natsume patted Nyanko again, he stirred.

"He stayed to make sure the exorcism worked, sheesh I could've gotten rid of the curse, stupid humans, I just needed more time and to take those stupid machines off of you."

"Thank you," Natsume said, lying back. He felt exhausted.

He fell asleep before Hinoe could explain more.

The next day Natsume was feeling quite a bit better, but the whole ordeal had left him with a small fever, and the doctors were insisting he stay for at least another couple days before even being allowed back home.

It took quite some convincing in the morning, but he finally managed to convince Shigeru to take Touko home to rest. He promised he'd be alright till they returned that evening. Shigeru didn't seem that convinced, but he knew the two of them needed a night's sleep after two nights with barely any.

The doctor thoroughly checked him again, absolutely stumped at how he'd miraculously recovered, and what had caused it in the first place. Natsume just shrugged, without any real explanation.

Natori was the one to visit him first, though Natsume suspected his friends would be along after school was over. Knowing Nishimura and Kiatomoto he suspected they were rather upset on him missing out at their meeting to stargaze.

"You look better," Natori said, he took a seat on Natsume bed. Natsume offered a soft smile. "I'm glad, you had us all worried."

"Thank you, you're the one who got rid of the youkai, right?"

Natori frowned; Hiiragi was standing in the corner watching Natsume sharply.

"I'm sorry Natsume, but it wasn't just me." He looked out the window. "I'm. . .well sorry."

Natsume wasn't sure what Natori meant by that, but he didn't ask for more of an explanation, he figured he'd learn soon enough.

Natori squeezed Natsume hand and left, Hiiragi bowing shortly before following. Nyanko stayed asleep at his side. He petted him until he heard the door shove open.

A nurse quietly shushed a coming crowd, as Sarada, Kitamoto, Nishimura, Tanuma and Taki all ushered themselves inside. Taki carried flowers, and Kitamoto carried a box with what looked like cakes. "Natsume," Nishumra said basically collapsing on him. Tanuma was the one to grab Nyanko, and hold him out of the way. "You had us so worried, don't do that to us man."

Natsume laughed half-heartedly. Had it really been that bad?

Natsume drifted quietly as the group spoke with him and one another. It felt tiring, everything all at once. Soon his friends were asked to leave. Tanuma and Taki made their way back though after Natsume's IV was changed, and he was taken off the oxygen.

"What exactly happened?" he finally asked the two of them.

The two explained what Nyanko had instructed them to do, and how they managed to bring Natori there; and also what had happened after. "I'm sorry Natsume," Tanuma said, his voice cracking. "If I had been stronger, we could have done it without that Matoba guy."

Ah so, when he'd first woken it hadn't been a dream.

Then Taki showed him the contract that Nyanko had stamped he wasn't sure what to think. It was simple, nothing dangerous, but still none the less an inconvenience and something that benefitted Matoba. This summer he was to spend time at the Matoba residence, in order to complete and undergo training in exorcism. This was to take place not during his school time, but he was forbidden from bringing any youkai with him.

Natsume petted Nyanko on instinct.

"We're sorry," Taki said. "I'm not sure who that guy was, but Natori, he seemed upset."

It all seemed to convenient and organized, the way it had turned out. Still he was alive, and maybe in the end that was all that mattered. "Taki, Tanuma, thank you." It was all he could say.

Touko and Shigeru came back that night, they looked more rested, but the whole time they were back in his hospital room Touko was fussing over him, Shigeru as well. They spoke quietly, and Shigeru informed him that they had permission to leave tomorrow after a meeting with the doctor, and as long as he seemed find after some tests in the morning.

However he was under strict rules to rest at home for the following week. As if he hadn't already missed a lot of school this term from sickness.

Still it was warm, their smiles, their faces, for once he wasn't scared to be in a hospital, the last few times from his stays with other family members coming to mind. It was warm here, wherever his family and friends were, a warmness seemed to seek. He may have almost just died, but he was happy, that he was in their care.

That night Natsume laid awake, his mind fluttering. Nyanko woke up during that time. "Sensei," Natsume said patting his head. "I'm sorry, I worried you."

"Baka," Nyanko said, he snuggled in closer. For once he didn't make a comment about wanting the book of friends, or about him being his prey. Instead the cat just snuggled in even closer.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoy this! **

**Like I said this is a part of a four part series I have planned, with one-shot stories all involving Natsume and his world. This is one of my favourite anime's of all time (also Natsume is my Husbando), and I've had an image in my head for this story for him for a long time, so I finally decided to write it out after seeing there weren't many Natsume stories in the fan-fic world, especially of this length. **

**So I hope you liked it, and stay on the l****ook out for Part 2!**

**Love you all!**


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